Toy, display device, and the like



Nova 9, 1948. e. M. TOMLIN ET AL TOY, DISPLAY DEVICE, AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1946 Nov. 9, 1948.

e. TOMLIN ET AL TOY, DISPLAY DEVICE, AND THE LIKE Filed April 9, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 9, 1948 Toy, DISPLAY DEVICE, .A vp THE LIKE,

. George M. Tomlin, Flixton, nearrManchester, and l Harry, Burrows, Manchester, England Application April 9, 1946, Serial $10,660,674

This invention relates to toys, display devices and the like, andhas for its object to provide improved devices capable of providing considerable amusement-or of attracting attention in an effective manner. i

According to the invention a toy, display de vice or the like comprises a plurality :of relatively movable parts connected together by a relatively inextensible flexible element, and means whereby the-tension in the flexibleelement may be varied to cause movement of the parts relative to each other. f i

The flexible "element is preferably the sole means ofconnection for'the parts and maybe a cQrcLthread; chain or thelike having no inherentrigidity. r r 1 r With advantage, the means for varying the ten- I sion in the flexible .element comprises two relawhich the, flexibleuelement :is subjected to con-,

siderable tension. r ,It is preferred to construct the relatively movable parts of the device proper with bore-s or passages through which the flexible element is threaded and :the contacting ends of the parts may be rounded to facilitate their relative move,

ment. i i

. I'he'jnature ofthe invention willbe readily understood from the following; description of a toy animal constructed in accordance therewith, given asl an -ex-ample only, reference being had to th accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. lais a perspective view of the toy animal in its normal posture;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the toy animal in one; of the variety of postures which it may be caused to assume, I n f Fig. 4 is a sectional front elevation showing the toy animal in -another posture Rand illustrating some additional features oftheinvention, and L i 51s a sectional end elevation also illustrating another additional feature.

Similar parts are indicated by like reference numerals in all the figures.

In the example chosen, the animal is a dog and accordingly comprises a body part I, a head part 2, a neck part 3 connecting the head and body parts, four legs each composed of a plurality of leg parts 4, 4a and adapted to support the body part I on a base member 5, and a tail composed ,In Great Britain December 4', 1945 v 1 Claim. (01. 46-161) 1 of a plurality of tail parts 6. The body and head parts I and 2 aref-ormed (see thehead part lin Figs. 1 to?) anddecorated morenearly to represent theactual thing, for example, by painting a nose -1-and eyes8 thereon, while the neck, leg and tail parts are much thinner cylindrical elements each formed with an axial bore 9 (Fig. 2) A thread or thin cord Ill (Fig. 2) is passed through the bores 9 of the parts 4, 4a of each le and then through bores H (see Figs. 2 and 5). formed in the body part I. The two threads Ill from the forelegs issuing from the body part I in an upward and forward direction are threaded issuing from the body part I in an upward 'and rearward direction are threaded through the tail parts 6 and there secured together. The head part 2 is secured on the neck part 3 (as shown) in such a Way that the endsof the corresponding threads or cords "[0 "are hidden and. prevented from returning through the neck part, and a pointedtailpiece I2 is preferably secured on the endm'ost tail part6, which may bevery short as indicated in Fig. 2, in order to hide the ends of the other threads or cords =10 and-likewise prevent them from returning through the tail parts. The respective pairs of cord may be knotte-dt-ogether in a knotto o large to pass through the bores 9 or may be stuck by glue employed tosecu-re the parts 2 and [2 on the respective parts 3 and 5. Any other means of retaining the ends of the cords! llmay, however, be employed. "The lowermost parts 4a of the le s may each ten erer larger diameter and shorter axial length than the remainingleg parts]; as shown, to representpaws, and the foreend lengths of the threads or cords In each pass through an aperture l 3 in the base member "5 to extendinto ajcireul-ar recess 14 formed from its lowenside. Within this "recess l4 islocated a freely movable circular disc l'5, to theperiphery of which are attached the "ends of thethreads or-cords lllat sub stantially equi-angular spacings; As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the two thread or cord ends for each side of the animal maybe part of thesame of its pi ipheryi fth' "corresponding I connected parts of thetoy animal-will sag or"droop'- under the action of their own weight. Consequently.

the toy may be caused to execute many amusing contortions, or to assume difi'erent :poses, gby. varying the position of the disc l5. Two examples 4 a greater or lesser degree (see dotted and chaindotted postions in Fig. 5, for example). Also, by tilting the disc 21 one ear 20 may be lowered more than the other and, if the disc l5 be simultaneously operated, the animal may additionally be caused to carry out other movements of its body and head.

emmoyeasas displayi'device'sj," h iifigures or the like "according to -the invention inay be fitted with mechanical means for causing variations in the tension in the threads or cords. i-exampleyas, shown in Fig. 4, the disc l5 may be For formed or provided near its periphery and on its of difierent postures are shown in EigsJ-i3- an dt4';

The ends of the neck, leg and tail parts which abut each other, or other parts, are preferablyg rounded to a substantially part-sphericaljshapf (as has been shown at 18 in the figures) because this facilitates the movement of the parts relative to each other.

I Nariations in the. tension :in the threads l o ma'yp alternativelysbeproduced.by:movements-of a slid-,- ablersrmembereandi the arrangementq-may also be suchsfthat the threads-pop cords are: initially untensionedbut rare tensionedby" manipulation. of a-zdiscvor. the-:like'. "Again; vasillustrated -in,--Fi'g. 4 the variousi pants of the toyanimal itself may besenciosed inv aiairly loose flexible covering i 8 ofi fabric or itheilike so that the parts themselves are not visibie. 1

Theninvention is; not ;limited: to toy" animals. Various-figures maybesproduced utilising the fea-, tures v indicatedaboveand-insome cases additional threadsocncords;mayxbe provided; to controlthe movementsrof w-partswhich are -carriedon other partszadready .rconholled:by. theircwn threads :or cords,::a separate :=d-isc-ormthe like-being provided forntheiradditionar threads-or cords, if: required.

.aAmexample of this-additional feature is shown inzEignfmwhere therhead apart 2 is providedwith independentlynmovable rigidears 20 as distinct iromeadhesively attached ifiexible ears 2 I which are shown'ontheheadtpart 2in'Figs. l to 3. 'Each ear; 20. is pivoted at r22awithina; lateral. recess 23 termed; m t/118E head part 2' and: has a-- shortuin wardly p fol'ecting arm '24 to which is attached; a thread? or" :cord- 10a. Downwardly-rand-inwardly inclined::-bores.=.25 extend through the-headpart 2! from-the recesses 23. to the seating for the neck na 'rt :3:and each is traversed by oneof the threads or cords: Illa. fil hesethen .pass through rbores 9a inwth'ev neck-part 31".With' the respectivecordslfl to continue with the latter through the bores ll and?!) :in: the-.bodyr'part I and legpar-ts 4, 4a,: re-

spectively. iThe cords 40a. are, nhOWBVEI, led

throughr separateinwardlyaand downwardly inclineclrboresezs in the base, 5=to pass downs-within the spring! I I and be attached 3012p disc 2-l-atdiametrically iopposite points. The disc; 21. is dis DOSBdyWith considerable play, within an axial bore 28i (formerl in, the disc-.15; and ispressed ,outwards otxthe recess :1 4 in th'edoase 5,-by-.a separate. spring 2.9;.v toymaintain .the cords l Da-mormally in tension so: thattheears 2llearerheld-in'the raised position shownrin'fiulllines in Fig: 5.

.-;Shouldthe disc 1 27; be; pressed inwards :of, the

recess 1,4; the-earsr2il maybe caused- -to-droopto fiexible element,

' Number .unders'ideriwith afn-ib arranged to bear on a face cam'-3'l having irregular rises and troughs s which issIOWIy rotated by any suitable motor 32. .;.More than -one-nib or projection may be provided on the disc and there may be two or more cams ea'ch co operating with a separate nib. The nibs may then be located atldifferent distances from thesedgeof thediscl5. 1 1-5;"

:It is tov be understood that: featnreszifromi two. or. {more 1 i of, .the; constructions;:described; 1--may::be; combined as: desired. -Eorexample, the-additional.- threads or cords Hla operated by thmdiscQI-may control the, movements "of parts each composedlof a; plurality- -of ylin'dricala sections COHHGCBBGGby the-threadsor-cordsNathemselves. 1 I. -t-iillhattweclaim -iszf 1 p mdeviceot the-characte1ttdescribed; comprising. a"plurality;ofa'elativcly movable parts formedrwith: bores or passages, at least one relatively inexten sible tiexiblecelement threadedrithrou'ghithezsaid borescor passagcsoto connect heeparts altogether: in; abutting; relation 2 and; in; amredetermined sequence, means attaching one end of thefflexible element-to the; one; endmostop'art :in; the sequence,

.a support abuttingagainstthe otherendmostpart.

movable in relation to thesaidipartzbutnotco'nnested-:- thereto by the 'i'fiexible element; :Imean's operativelyi connecting :Lthe .said further lpartk to onewendrof .a secondvrelatively inextensible flexi' ble elem'ent; 'ase'cond membenmovable :in'relation to both the first member and the support-rand having the: other end of -the secondc flexible element attached rth'er'et'o, ana fillllher 1 resilient means. iinterposed between" the supporta and the second inemberinitially t'o tension'zthe second' \GE@RGE"..M. i

HA RWBURROWSM a a arments ibiTEi) 

